Sime Darby First Malaysian Company to Win 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders

Kuala Lumpur, 13 November 2014 – Sime Darby Berhad, one of Malaysia’s leading multinational corporations, has been named by Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions provider, to the list of the 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders ®(TCFL).

This is the first time that a Southeast Asian company has been included in the global list since it commenced in 2001. 

“It is indeed a privilege to be the first Malaysian company to be ranked amongst international peers of such exceptional calibre.  In Sime Darby, our employees are our greatest asset and we prioritise investing in sustainable leadership development to drive operational excellence.  This award affirms our unwavering determination and aspiration to develop high performing leaders.  We would like to thank Aon Hewitt for this recognition,” says Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh, president and Group Chief Executive of Sime Darby Berhad.

Conducted since 2001, the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders study is a comprehensive analysis of talent management and leadership practices of organisations around the world. This year's winners were selected and ranked by an expert panel of independent judges based on a number of criteria, including strength of leadership practices and culture, examples of leader development on a global scale, alignment of business and leadership strategy, company reputation, business and financial performance.

“In today’s complex and unpredictable business landscape, Top Companies for Leaders are passionate about cultivating resilient and engaging leaders who take the time to know and develop their talent and understand what experiences they need to rise above the rest,” said Pete Sanborn, Aon Hewitt’s Global Talent practice leader. “We congratulate Sime Darby Berhad on being among a select group of organisations that excel at building and growing a strong leadership environment.”

Mohd Bakke added, “As part of the assessment by Aon Hewitt, the Sime Darby Group was found to possess strong organisational alignments at both the top management and operational levels. This is certainly a competitive advantage for us, as alignment is critical to achieve consistency in performance.

“Participating in this study has also enabled us to gain valuable in-depth perspectives of our own practices as we are benchmarked against other global organisations. We have gained a better understanding of how we fare amongst our peers. This provides us with an avenue to improve and strengthen our capabilities and processes,” he added.

Sime Darby Berhad joins the ranks of illustrious organisations such as General Electric Company (US), IBM (US), Hindustan Unilever (India), The Proctor & Gamble Company (US), and Novartis AG (Switzerland) who are amongst the 25 winners of the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders 2014 global award.

In line with the Group’s strategic growth plans, in 2010 Sime Darby embarked on a five-year human resources transformation journey with three primary objectives: foster strong individual and organisational performance; focus on talent and leadership development; and effectively identify, attract and retain needed talent.

The transformation journey is supported by a series of initiatives designed to drive change and improve performance. These include a new performance management framework and competency model, talent and succession management programmes, a new rewards philosophy, as well as learning and development programmes that addresses competency gaps and is aligned with the Group’s business direction. These initiatives have equipped Sime Darby to face the challenges of aggressive growth and expansion by focusing on building and sustaining strong leaders.

Visit www.aon.com/topcompanies-winners for the full list of Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders.
 

For further information please contact: 

Regina William
External Communications
Sime Darby Berhad
Tel: +(603) 2711 3895
Mobile: +(6019) 299 0470 
Email: regina.william@simedarby.com

About the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders Study

With more than 1,500 data points and more than 300 executive interviews, the 2014 Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders study is the most comprehensive, global research on leadership in the market, examining the link between leadership practices and financial results.  This study explores how organizations assess, select, develop, and reward leaders, and examines the execution of leadership practices, as well as the strategy that guides it.  To learn more about this study, please visit www.aon.com/topcompanies.